Bottle crate



1 Feb. 1`6 11126;l 1,573,111

H. H. GERDING E.T AL

BOTTLE CRATE Filed Fb. 15, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 16 1926.

H. H. GERDING ET AL BOTTLE CRATE .Filed Feb. 154, 1925 2 'She ets-Sheet 2 Invenors Feb., i6, 1926.

f retain Vinviran STATES PATENT ortica.

HERBERT ii. GERDING, Aor NEWPORT, AND EDWARD A. eEnDiNe, or ronTTHoMAs,

' KENTUCKY,

BOTTLE CRATE.

Application filed February To all @from it may concern:

Be it known that we, I-Inueniri II. Gianni-ve and EDWARD A. Giannino, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Newport and at Fort Thomas. in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle Crates, of `which the follow inel is a specification.

`Our invention relates to reinforced crates orv boxes, and more especially to crates forV carrying' and storing` milk bottles. Its ob'- iect is to simplify and render more effective the reinforcement of suchcrates, whereby the crates may be manufactured more economically and be more rigid and 'durable in service. Other objects will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

IVe attain these objects by the deviceillustrated, for example, in the accompanying dra-wings, in which# Y Fiejure 1 is a general perspective view of a milk-bottle crate embodving our invention, part of the near side and parts of the interior partition and bottle supporting rods being' broken away better to reveal the interior corner construction;

Figi. 2 is a partial vertical cross-section on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Q

Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal cross-section on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig'. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the stacking-guide inside corner mem bers;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the intermediate or lower inside corner members;

Fig. (i is av similar view of one of the upright exterior tie-bars;

Fig. 7 is a similar view ofi one of the top or bottom exterior corner members;

Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the intermediate exterior corner members; L

Fig. 9 is a general perspective view'c'orrespondinnjto that of Fig. 1, but showing a modification of the interior corner construction 2 Fig. 1() a detail perspective view of one of the modified interior corner members of Fig. 9; p f

Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the saine;

Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view of ak stacking-guide member similar to that of el but' made for use with an inner 13, 1925. Serial No. 8,906.

corner member which isa modification of that of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13is a partial detail perspective view of such a modified inner corner member as is used with the guide of Fig'. 12;

Figa 14 is a similar view of another modification of the inner corner member;

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the stacking guide therefor;

Fig. 16 is a partial perspective view, looking' up at a lower corner' of the crate, showH ing` the application of one of the lower outside corner members; and

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary perspective view of the reinforcement of the partition'and bottle-supporting rods illustrated in Fig. 9.

The crate, as is well known in the art, comprises the two side walls 1 and the two end walls 2 having the ends of the walls 1 lapping across their ends, to which the mein-f bers 1 may be secured in any suitable manner, as by nailing: a nail labeine indicated in F ig. 3.A Longitudinal partition rods 5.

and transverse vpartition rods 4 have their ends fixed in the walls 1 and 2, respectively, in any suitable manner, as by spinning or riveting. In like mannen'bottle supporting rods 5 run lengthwise of the crate, with their ends iiXed in the end walls 2, near the bot tom. The endy walls 2 have apertures 6 near their upper edges,for insertion of the hands for lifting the crate. All of these details are well' known in the art. f

In the outer sides of the walls land 2,.

near the corners of the crate, are relatively wide shallow grooves or gains 7, ruimingfrom the top to the" bottom edge of each wall; and in each groove 7 an upright tiev` bar or strip 8 fits snugly, preferably being` of relatively thin sheet metal and the groove 7 being' of such depth that t-he exterior of thev tie-bar 8 lies substantially flush with the exterior surface of the wall 1 or 2 in which the barv` 8 is fitted. These bars 23 run almost tothe edges of the walls 1 and 2, as shown; although they may, if desired, run entirely 'to the edges. About midway Iof the length of each bai' S is a circular hole 9, and near respective ends are openings 10 elongated lengthwise of the bar. Y

Iilxteriorcorner members 11 fit on the upper and lower corners of lthe crate ;l p ach comprising` upright parts 12 'at right angles te eachother, to fitk against the outer faces otthe walls 1 and 2, and flanges 13 extending inward from the upper edges ot' the upright parts 12 and fitting on the edge'i ot the walls 1 and 2. These corner members 11 have their parts 12 and flanges 13 long enough to lap across the adjacent end parts of the tie-bars 8; and each upright part 12 has a circular hole 1l which registers with a respective elongated opening of' the overlapped tie-bar 8.1 Intermediate exterior corner members 15, each comprising simply two upright parts 16 at right angles to each other, lit around respective corners et the exterior of the crate about midway ot its'height, and each part 1G has a circular hole 1T registering with a respective middle circular hole @of the tie-bar 8, which is overlapped by the part 16.

As shown in Figs. 1 to' 5, inclusive,therey are individual interior corner i'neinliers opposed to the ienibers just described. The top rones of' these, 18, each comprises two upright parts 19 at right angles to each other, to fit against the inner surfaces of the walls 1 and and an inset upward extention 2O` 'from the u'iner edges oli' the )arts 19, 'formi n 'ine' a stacking guide `suchas is well known in the art; its pats 21 corresponding to the parts 19 joining in a curved corner'andbeing toppedfhy a spandrel shaped part 22 lying inwardly therefrom. About midway of the height of' the upright parts 19 the member 18 hasv its` material disposed in"- wardly forming a hollow spandrel-shaped rib 23 whichr rigidly braces 'the two parts 19 relatively to each other diagonally. This rib does not entend entirely to .the ends oit the member 18; flat parts being left near the ends, in which are respective openings 24 elongated in transverse direction, Each bottom land intermediate interior corner men'ibei 25 is like thev top interior member 18, except that thestaclting-guide `extension 2O is omitted; the member simply comprising the upright parts lil withthe diagonal bracing rib 23 and having the elongated openings 2f near the respective ends.

lilith the exterior and interior corner inen'ibcrs assembled against the respective sur s of' the crate corners aidescribed, rivets 25 pass through tlie crate walls 1 and 2, and through the registering openings of the members. Thus, a rivet passes through the opening 14 of an upper or lower outer corner mei'nber, the opening 10 ot the tiebar 8, through the wall 1 or 2, and through the opening 24 ot the `top inner member 18 or the opening 2st of the bottom inner member: and a rivet pasies through the opening of an ii'iterinediate outer menil: r, the middle opening 9 of the tie-ba:` 8 through the wall f1 or opening member.-

iespective exterior corner' The various members thus being vfirmly secured against the walls 1 and 2 by the rivets 26, the upright tie-bars 8, by engagement with the edges of' the grooves or gains s l throughout the lengths of the bars 8, enable the outer corner members 11 and 15,

V.fitting tightly around the crate corners,

to' hold the walls 1 and 2 firmly together at their corner junction; constituting a reinforcement for their attachment by nails or other ordinary fastenings, and practically holdingthe walls' 1 and 2 together independently of the efliciency of these ordinary fastenings. Acting in conjunetionwith this secure Aexterior lfastening', the inner members, with their diagonal braeeribs and 23', resist lateral collapse or weaving or" the wall structure; it being' found in actual practice that the tour wooden walls 1 and 2, thus connected at their corners, have imperceptible deflection from their required rectangular assemblage under heavy pressure diagonally thereof. v

In addition to their laterally resisting function, the tie-bars S tie the wooden fibes of' each wall 1 or 2 together in upright direction, by' virtue of their connections to the upper and lower outer corner members 11; but, owing to the upright elongation .of the openings 1() ot the bars 8, some up and down spreading-of the wall material is permitted. Thus, excessive up and down disruptionfof the wall-material is prevented, vet expansion orswelling ot the' material in that direction is permitted. This is a very important advantage in' crates which are subjected to washing and cterilizing, causing the wooden walls 1 and 2 to swell, especially edgewise. yThe slidable connection between the wall-edge engaging members 11 and the tie-bars 8, permitted by the elongated openings or slots 1() allows the inembers 11 to move with the expanding wood, to which they are at all times held by the rivets through the round openings 14s rlflie intermediate members 15, being at a neutral position relative to this expansion, may be fixed to thefbars 8; hence the middle openings 9 of the bars 8 need not :be elongated.

The inside corner members 18 and 25 all are fixed to the wood with relation to the up land down expansion, fand thus are not disturbed by this action; as especially is iinportant with the top members 25, having the stacking guide extensions 20, which should remain firmly fixed and projecting the required distance above the topv edges of the walls 1 and 2 under all conditions of use. BeingA extended an ample distance down from these upper edges, these stacking-gaine mernb rs have ample leverage below their rivets to resist impacts in handl iig the crates, which are stacked one above the other,v with the staal-:ing guide et the lanci' .crate 1111s @le the' botto-iii the next uppercrate. The outer corner members 11, extending their parts or anges 13 across the wall edges atthe bottom, protect the bottom edges of the wooden walls 1 and 2 when the stackii'igguides of the other crate are entering; and extending across these edges at the top these 'flanges 13 protect the top wall edges against the bottom flanges oi the upper crate. The upright parte of these outer corner members 11, and the intermediate outer corner members 15, protect the upright part-s ot the crate corners suinciently; and in some cases the intermediate members 15 may be om`tted. The most impact-s are at the tops and bottoms, and damage to inte mediate upright parts of the wooden corners is not so objectionable as it is at the tops and bottoms. li these intermediate outer members lo are omitted, the inner intermediate members 25 are omitted; and in some cases the inner intermediate members 25 may be omitted while retaining the outer intermediate members 15, as the rivets oi the latter may be depended upon to hold merely against the wood, interiorly, with the strains on the outer intermediate members 15 not so severe as those on the top and bottom members. Vile iind that the diagonal interior bracing of the ribs 28 and 223 of the top land bottom interior members 18 and 25, wit-hout that or the intermediate inner members 25, is ampleto hold the crate in shape against diagonal impacts; However, when used, they also serve to resist outward warping oi" the side walls 1 away from the end walls 2; which is not eiiec.- tively resisted by the outer intermediate members having no diagonal bracing. In this res'stance to this warping, the tie-bars 8 also assist, when iirmly iixed at their middles, by the rivets, to the inner intermediate members 25. `The corner members have ample extension along the walls from the corners to'provide ample leverage against diagonal deflection; yet this is provided with a minimum of metal because the metal is not contnuous trom top to bottom except in the tie-bars S, which have ample strength in tension lengthwise to resist splitting oit the wooden walls 1 andv 2, and being firmly reinforced by lying under the outer corner members 11 and 15, can effectively resist warping, tiatwise, and can afford effective holding means, edgewise, against endwise displacement ot the. walls. Also, heilig relatively 'lar from the ends of the wall pieces 1 and 2, ample cross-section of wood is lett between the grooves containing these bars and the en j)s of the wooden pieces, to re sist the shearing strain thus imposed.

Being in several pieces, the corner reintorcemen's ran be varied by omitting one or more oi the members, as has just been alluded to, accordingly as a more expensive, stronger rate is desired, or a less expensive crate, strong enough for certa-in uses, is desired. Moreover, notwithstanding that the almost standard proportions of crates call for the side walls 1 being thinner than the end walls if, we avoid making unsymmetrical corner members, or right hand and lett hand members, by providrng the openings 2e and 2i ot the inner corner members elongated lengthwise, so that, as seen in Fig. although the rivet in the thin side wall 1 isnearer to the inside corner ot the erate than is the rivet in the thick end wall 2, incident to the symn'ietrical location of these rivets in the outer corner member 15, it is accommodated in the inner end of the elongated opening 2st while the other rivetoccupies the outer end oit its opening 211. Thus, we provide itor all corners oi' a crate oit' this kind with only live different klnds of parts, illustrated in Figs. 4i to 8, inclusive; and where intermediate members areoinitted, only iiour kinds of parts are required. This of 'course ef'iects a saving in manufacturing equipment, as well as in the quantity ot completed parts required to lbe carried vin stock.

its shown in Figs. 9', 10 and 11, each inside corneroi the crate has a single corner member 18 having, as shown, four diagonal ribs 2? similar to the ribs 23 and 223 in the iirst example, space-d at equal intervals, thetop and bottoni ribs being nearA the top and bottom edges, respectively, of the crate walls 1 and 2. Through holes 28 and 28 in these inside corner n'embers, rivets con'- nect with theoutside corner construction, which, as here shown, is the same. kind as that oit the first example, with the upright tie bars 8 and oorner members 11 and 15.

he holes 2S in the inside members may be large enough to allow vsome expansion oi' the walls 1 and 2 up and down, and to provide for the difference iny thickness oi the walls 1 and 2 horizontally, similarly to the use of the slots 2.4. of the `first example. The tops oit these members 18 have forme-d on them the stacking guides 29 similar to the guides 20 of the i'irst example.

'In the modification oit Figs. 12 and 13 the guide member 250 formed eparately from the inner corner member 18, which has ears 3l at its upper corners, inset to lap up inside the guide member 3l), with holes 32 registering with holes in the guide mem bei, through which holes rvets may pass through the walls of the crate to attach to the outside Corner' members as in the previous examples. The holes S52 in the ears 31, elongated up and down,.allorr iior eapan lsion ot the walls, while the holes 33 in the guide member or) receive the rivets snugly so that the guide member 30 moves up and down with the expanding and contracting wall material, keeping the guicle'inember 80 properly projected, above the walls.'

Cil

Mill

In the modification ot Figs. 14 and 15 the inside corner member Se and its stacking guide 29', instead of being L-shaped in crosssection as are the members 18', 18 and 30,

, or 18 and 25, are of approximately quarter- This formation may be employed in the individual inside corner members 18 and 25 of the iirst example, each member having one rib.

In any ot the examples it is preferable to have the stacking guide ymember separate from the other members, as in the iirst example or that of Figs. l2 and 18, not only as it allows expansion oi' the Walls to be provided lor Without dislocating the stacking guide relatively to the Walls, but because these stacking guides are subjected to more severe usage than any or" the other corner parts, and it bent out of shape can tnus be renewed conveniently. n

Thepartition and support rods are only lpartially shown in Fig. l, and it ivill be understood that these may have any suitable reinforcement at the middle. In Figs. 9

and 17 we illustrate a suitable reinforcement made up of the inverted channel 37 strade dling a transverse rod 38 and abutting its ends against the insides oit the side AWalls 1; the rod being headed, as fby riveting. or spinning, outside the Wall, thus clamping the channel firmlybetween the Walls l. rIhe three pairs oit bottle support rods 5 run under this rod 38, through the sides of the channel, which thus clamps the rods 5 to the rod 38. Tie-bars 39, relatively thin and Wide, have openings 40 in which they embrace the longitudinal partition rods 3 and the middle transverse partition rods 1l; the

cross-sections of these tie-bars 3f) rlying' diagonally ot theV crate. Below the loner rods 3 and et these tie-bars 3S) are twisted to extend down through lengthwise slots el in the channel 37, inside otl which channel the lower end parts ot these tie-bars are looped around the rod; the sides of the channel S'Tlbeing spread out at di) around the loops ot the bars 3S) and hugging these loops closely, so that the entire middle structure oi rods is clamped lirmly together, Without rivets or other special fastening elements. The rigid corner connections contribute to the maintenance of the partition and support rods firmly in 'correct position, and relieve these rods Of the leesenng strains mniv/8,111-

Vposed upon said rods in prior constructions not irmly braced diagonally;

The various eorner members and tie bars preferably are but and pressed into Shape from sheet metal, but it will be understood that some ot them, especially the inner corner men'ibers, or the upper and lower outer corner memlem's, may be conveniently made as castings. These, and numerous other modifications may occur Without departing from the scope oit our invention, andvve do not Wish to be understood as being limited to the precise disclosures herein, but having thus fully described preferred embodiments of oui-invention, Vas is required, ivhat We claimr as` new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

l. In a bottle crate, upright Wall members meeting to form a corner ot' the crate, each having an upright groove in its outer side near said corner, upright tie members in the respective grooves, a corner member lapping around saidA corner and outside said tie meme,y

bers, and fastening means extending from the corner member through the respective tiemembers into the respective Walls.

2. In a bottle crate, upright Wall members meeting to form a corner oit the crate, each having an upright groove in its outer side near said corner, upright tie members in the respective grooves,'an outer corner member lapping around said corner and outside said tie members, an inner corner member against the insides of' said corner, and fastening meansextending from the outer corner member` through the respective tie members and `walls to said innercornermember.

` 3. In a bottle crate, upright Wall members meeting to form a corner of the crate, each having an upright groove in its outer side near said corner, upright tie members in the respective grooves, an outer corner member lapping around said corner and outside said tie members, an inner cornermember against the insides ot said corner, having a rib embossed thereon and extending in bracing relation to said Wall members, and fastening means extending from the outer corner member through the respective tie members and walls to said inner corner member.

4l. In a bottle crate, upright wall members meeting to form a corner of the crate, each havingan upright groove in its outer side near said corner, upright tie men'ibcrs in the respective grooves, corner members lapping around said corner and outside said tie members, .near the tops and bottoms, respectively, of vsaid wall members, and lapping across the edges of said Wall members, and tastening means extending from the corner .members through the respective tie members to the respective Walls.

5. In a bottle crate, upright Wall members meeting .to form a 'corner of the crate, each .having anupright groove in its outer lside near said corner, upright tie members in the respective grooves, cornermembers lapping around said corner and outside said tie members, near the tops and bottoms, respectively, of said Wall members, and lapping across the edges ot'said Wall members, and fastening means extending from the corner members through the respective tie members to the respective Walls, each tie member having an opening elongated up and down Where a certain one4 of said fastening means passes through said tie member.

6. In a bottle crate, upright ivall members meeting to 'forni a corner ot' the crate, each having an upright groove in its outer side near said corner, upright tie members in the respective grooves, an outer corner member lapping around said corner and outside said tie members, an inn-er corner member against the insides of said corner, having a stackingguide extension above the upper edges ol' said walls, and fastening means extending from the outer corner member through the respective tie members and Walls to said inner corner member.

7. In a bottle crate, upright wall members, one thicker than the other, meeting to iiorm a corner of the crate, each having an upright groove in its out-er side near said corner, upright tie members in the respective grooves, an outer corner member lapping around said corner and outside said tie members, an inier corner member against the insides or" said corner, and fastening means extending1 from the outer corner member through the respective tie members and Walls to said inner corner member, one oi the corner members having an opening elongated toward the crate corner, With one of the 'fastening means extending through said opening.

tl. In a bottle crate, upright Wall members meeting to 'term a corner oit the crate, each having a relatively Wide shallow upright groove in its outer side near said eor-l ner, relatively thin Wide upright tie members in the respective grooves, a corner member lai'iping around said corner and outside said tie n'iembers, and fastening means ei:- tending from the corner member through the respective tie members into the respective Walls. s 4

9. In a bottle crate, in combination Wit-h upright Wall members meeting to form a corner of the crate, inner and outer corner members near the tops of said Walls, inner and outer corner members near the bottoms ot' said Walls, and upright tie members connecting an upper corner member with a lowercorner member, the connection ot each tie member with one of the corner n'iembers being slidable up and down.

l0. In a bottle crate, in combination with upright Wall members meeting to term a corner of thecrate, corner membe 1s engaging the tops and bottoms, respectively, ot said Walls, and upright means connecting said corner members together but permitting up and down movement et said corner members relatively to each other.

11. In a bottle crate, in coniibination with an upright wall thereof, an upright tie member having coni .tions to said Wall. near its top and near its bottom, respectively, one ot the connections permitting up and down movement et the wall material relatively to the tie member incident to swelling and shrinkage of the Wall material. l

12. In a bottle crate, in combination with upright Walls meeting to form a corner oi the crate, an upright tie member having connections to one of the Walls near its top and near its bottom, respectively, one oit the con'd nections permitting up and down movement of the Wall material relatively7 to the tie member, anda stacking-guide member connected to said tie memoer by'said connection that permits said movement but lined to one of the Walls by the last mentioned tonnection, to move up and down with the Wall material.

13. In a bottle crate, in combination with upright Walls meeting to 'form a corner of' the crate, upright tie members having connections With therespeetive Walls near the tops and bottoms of the Walls, respectively,

one of the connections ot each tie member permitting up and down movement ot the- Wall material relatively to the tie member, said tie members being embedded in the respective Walls, and a corner member connecting said tie members together across said corner.

le. In a bottle crate, upright Walls meet ing to form a corner o'fi the crate, corner members binding said Walls together aci` the corner at intervals along the height ot said corner, and upright means embedded in the respective Walls, binding the material ot said Walls together in up and down direction, said corner members coneeting said upright means together across said corner whereby said upright means ilse assists in binding the Walls together.

HERBERT II. GERDING. EDWARD A. GERDING.

llO 

